Accidental Vix Prints

After breaking my hip and shattering my femur illustration and general scribble came as a much needed and less dangerous change of hobby from volleyball. At the time I was devastated that I couldn’t continue with the sport I loved so much, but now I spend my non-family time in a much warmer, more serene and quieter place, also known as my studio, and have not looked back since.

I have been sketching architecture for nearly two decades, starting as an Interior Architecure & Design student at Nottingham Trent University. There were many bed ridden months, and years recovering from various surgeries, with onlymy sketchbook, pen and same four walls for company.

There’s nothing like a bit of creative freedom to make me smile, and these ranges are where my creative moments have led me. Most of my illustrations can be bought through my Etsy shop, but here are my complete collections so if there are any that you want to own and can’t find in my shops then please just send me a message through the contact form or e-mail me.

This range is a progression from my Anonymity range with the idea that it doesn’t matter who you are, a scene can evoke memories and thoughts all of it’s own. My love of Yorkshire has allowed me to illustrate some of my favourite local landmarks in this style.

Original hand sketch, digitally scanned and coloured. Printed on matt archival paper, and set in a standard size 12” x 10” / 305mm x 255mm mount. All prints are signed. I also do commissions, as everyone has a favourite space or place, and I have done wedding venues for perfect presents or memories, so please get in touch.

This is my most diverse and experimental range, with the subject matter ranging from animals to pirates eating peas, but the printing technique ties my different illustration styles together.

All designs are printed using my handmade Gocco screens, a rare Japanese technique, which allows my detailed linework to be brought to life when I screenprint them. Some prints also incorporate a stencil screenprint to add block colour.Gocco is a Japanese technique developed in 1977 by Noboru Hayama and was oftem used by families to create New Years cards with their children due to the small size of the machine which exposes carbon based designs with 2 flash bulbs onto a fine mesh. In 2008 Riso shipped their last supplies and gocco was discontinued, making each piece unique and part of a dying art.

All prints are limited editions with small print runs of each design/colourway. Printed on 130gsm cartridge paper, and set in a standard size 10″ x 8″ / 255mm x 205mm mount. All prints are signed, numbered and dated.

Sketchbook Projects – Global Tours

I’m always looking for new challenges, and these were some of the biggest ones yet! I love my day job as an interior designer, but still dream of getting into children’s illustration so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get my work into the world and hopefully increase views and opportunities! I have been doing the Sketchbook Projects since 2011 but took a break in 2014 to have my son, although I am about to sign up for the 2016 tour.

‘The Sketchbook Project is like a concert tour, but with sketchbooks… Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country. After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.’ - Sketchbook Project website